by Lars Schwichtenberg on 02/02/2022
imago images / Rainer WeisflogA thermal solar system on your roof supports your heating system with hot water preparation.Your own solar system costs a lot of money and you also have to do the maintenance yourself care for. If you don't want to invest so much at once and still want to produce your own electricity, you can also rent a system. EFAHRER.com names the most important providers, explains the advantages and disadvantages and clarifies basic questions, e.g. on costs, contract periods and advice.
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Private photovoltaic systems for the roof are becoming increasingly popular. But in the meantime, other options are also increasingly becoming the focus of users. For example, solar fences that enclose your property and can also supply the household with renewable energy. Such solutions are conceivable, especially for homeowners or tenants of houses who cannot install a conventional solar system.
Although the prices for purchase systems have fallen significantly in recent years, costs can quickly incur far in excess of 10,000 euros when purchasing. For users who cannot or do not want to spend it, renting such a system can be a solution to make a small contribution to the German electricity mix. Because every solar system operator generates environmentally friendly solar power and thus makes an active contribution to climate protection.
According to current figures from the electricity report, in 2019 46 percent of German electricity generation came from renewable energies. For comparison: In 2016 it was still 29.5 percent. If this high growth continues, the share of renewable energies in the German electricity mix should be around 50 percent or even more this year.
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Providers at a glance
As demand increases, so does the number of providers in Germany. We would like to introduce you to some providers who also have systems for rent on the shelf:
Which solar system provider is the test winner 2021?"Find out the EFAHRER test results now!"Which solar system provider is the test winner 2021?"Find out the EFAHRER test results now!"Yello Solar
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
The one from TV and the Internet too -Advertising well-known and nationwide active electricity and gas provider Yello leases photovoltaic systems. With the "Yello Solar" lease model, homeowners can generate their own electricity from as little as 59 euros a month. There is a tailor-made solar system for lease, which is individually tailored to the conditions of the roof and personal energy needs - including advice, installation and protection. The power flows of the system can be tracked at any time using the Yello Solar app. However, the lease agreement runs for a full 20 years.
But Yello Solar also offers the option of buying the system after just 10 years. Customers can feed excess electricity into the grid and receive a feed-in tariff for 20 years. There is also the option of leasing a solar system with electricity storage. Furthermore, Yello advertises a complete protection of the system: repair, maintenance and replacement of defective components are free of charge at Yello.
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DZ-4
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
DZ-4 is a pioneer in this country when it comes to renting a solar plant goes. Since 2012, the Hamburg-based company has been offering a wide variety of PV systems for rent nationwide. After just a few clicks in the configurator, interested parties receive information on any rental costs for certain system configurations. The costs for initial orientation range from 59 euros a month for a simple system to 119 euros for one with battery storage and energy manager.
The rent includes the acquisition costs and installation as well as insurance, monitoring of the system and possible repairs. Interested parties can choose whether they want to be advised personally on site or digitally. In addition to individual customer care, great importance is attached to the accurate planning of the system and the smooth construction. The rent is fixed for the entire contract period and does not increase. After 10 years there is also an annual purchase option.
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zolar
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
The company from Berlin has a good online configurator that interested parties can use to specify the individual conditions of their house and thus determine the necessary components for their solar system individually and independently of the brand. Offers can be made for new solar systems, PV systems with power storage and for retrofitting a power storage system for existing systems.
In the configurator, options for buying, renting or financing can also be specified. A solar system configured in this way is then installed and maintained by assembly teams and a network of specialist partners throughout Germany. From planning to installation, zolar customers receive everything from a single source.
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Aroundhome
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
Aroundhome is not a direct provider, but rather an online portal for finding tradespeople for a wide variety of jobs around the house. Also for the installation of solar systems. Not only new plants are mediated. In addition to offers to buy and rent, inquiries about used PV systems can also be made, which then go to local suppliers.
Aroundhome provides a simple online configurator that obtains offers from regional solar providers based on criteria such as place of residence and structural conditions. Thanks to simple selection options, even inexperienced users quickly gain an overview and can configure a system according to their personal requirements. If a contract is concluded, the selected local provider acts as the contractual partner.
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Enpal
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
Enpal has specialized in rental solutions for solar systems. In the last three years, the demand for rental systems has increased tenfold, not least because of Enpal. The company, which began as a start-up, has developed into the market leader for solar installations in Germany over the past three years. A rental solar system is available from Enpal without acquisition costs and from 50 euros per month. This is often cheaper than the electricity costs saved.
In addition, the tenant receives a feed-in tariff from the network operator. The Enpal rental price is fixed for 20 years. Installation, maintenance, repair, service and financing of the system are included in the price. After 20 years, customers get the system for free for a symbolic euro. In the future, in addition to PV systems, storage and regenerative heating solutions will complement the range.
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Natural power
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
The green electricity provider Naturstrom also offers an all-round carefree solar package in a lease model. Naturstrom takes care of turnkey installation, maintenance, insurance, operational management and repairs as well as legally required controls. The energy supplier also bears the investment and follow-up costs. Naturstrom leases the solar systems and the storage to the customer after construction - the solar lease runs for 18 years.
Naturstrom promises a 100 percent eco-power supply under all conditions: electricity generated on the roof is consumed directly on site if required. Excess electricity loads the storage. If this is full, the surplus is fed into the grid and paid for by the grid operator in accordance with the Renewable Energy Sources Act. If the photovoltaic system and storage system do not completely cover the electricity requirement, green electricity is automatically fed in from the power grid.
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Sunvigo
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
Sunvigo's business model is based on electricity feed-in contracts in the B2B sector with long-term contracts Electricity costs. According to the provider, this model is now also being sold in the private sector for the first time. As is usual in the rental sector, Sunvigo takes care of the solar system 100 percent and assumes all the obligations and risks of a system operator and also ensures that the system is operated in the best possible financial way.
Billing is based on fixed electricity costs for the energy from your own roof. Different tariffs are possible. The basic term of the electricity contract is 24 months and can be canceled afterwards - the lease of the solar system, on the other hand, lasts 20 years. With the Flex and Flat tariffs, you pay a fixed rate for 20 years and receive a price guarantee for solar power. After this period, you can then take over the system for 0 euros or buy it earlier for the price calculated at that time. Electricity storage and wall boxes can also be rented.
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gettyimagesRenting or buying: Solar is definitely worth it.Which is better to rent or buy a solar system?
Both options offer independence from electricity providers and enable the purchase of cheap, sustainable solar energy. For solar power that is not consumed privately but fed into the public grid, money can be earned in both cases via the so-called feed-in tariff.
Advantage of a rental system: The costs of the system can be easily paid in monthly installments and do not have to be made as a one-off payment.
Advantage of buying a system: The system belongs to the buyer from the first minute. Depending on the type of system, the acquisition costs are usually significantly cheaper than the sum of the rental costs at the end of the contract period.
How much does it cost to rent a solar system?
A tenant initially saves the rather high, one-off acquisition costs, which are settled in the form of the monthly rental payments. He also benefits from the fact that installation, maintenance, repairs, cleaning and insurance of the system are also the responsibility of the landlord. This means that a tenant does not have to worry about the system. Monthly rental costs for a modern, high-performance model system with 8 kWp total around 130 euros. (Example Sunvigio rental system tariff Flat plus Premium with battery storage and wall box). Over a typical term of 20 years, that makes 31,200 euros. The costs do not have to be paid as a one-off payment, but are conveniently spread over the entire term. After 20 years, the system in our example then automatically becomes the property of the tenant.
A buyer of a solar system has high acquisition costs and has to bear the operating costs, but is free to decide for how long he uses the system. Changes such as an upgrade with battery storage or an additional wall box are also possible at any time. However, the buyer is also responsible for the installation, maintenance, repairs, cleaning and insurance of the system and has to pay for it. The buyer faces acquisition costs of around 14,000 euros for a standard PV system with 8 kWp. In addition, there are ongoing operating costs for insurance, maintenance, repairs and cleaning of around 400 euros per year. Over a typical term of 20 years, this results in around 22,000 euros. For comparison: With an annual power consumption of 4,000 kWh, the electricity costs without a system amount to around 1,200 euros a year, i.e. around 24,000 euros in 20 years. Price advantage at least 2,000 euros and your own PV system, which also saves electricity costs.
Who rents out solar systems?
Many national and local providers of solar solutions and photovoltaic systems are currently also renting out to private users. A quick search on the web is usually enough to find many providers nearby or nationwide. As so often, this trend comes from the United States. Photovoltaic systems are very often offered there as rental properties, and the demand is also increasing significantly in Germany: in the last three years, the demand for rental systems has increased tenfold.
When is solar worth it?
In comparison with the electricity costs of a normal contract with a network operator, solar power is worthwhile for almost everyone who has the opportunity to install and use a corresponding system. Whether as a purchase or rental model. The prices for PV systems have fallen significantly in recent years. According to information from the Fraunhofer Institute, investment costs have fallen by an average of 13 percent per year since 2006 and by 75 percent in total by 2019. In 2006, an average of 5,000 euros per kilowatt peak of installed nominal output was paid, today this value is around 1,200 euros. A model calculation of the yield potential shows how much money can be saved with a solar system. This is based on an average power consumption of 5,000 kWh, an electricity price of 30 cents/kWh and the current feed-in tariff of 7.92 cents/kWh:
Electricity costs without a solar system: 1,500 euros After installing a 10 kWp solar system: Solar power production: approx. 9,800 kWh Own consumption: 35% = 1,750 kWh Feed-in: 8,050 kWh Remaining purchase: 3,250 kWh Electricity costs Remaining purchase: 975 euros Feed-in remuneration: 638 euros Result: 337 euros electricity costs / year = 1,163 euros electricity costs savings at The investment costs of around 12,000 euros are therefore amortized after around ten years.PV system in conjunction with a storage unit: Solar power production: approx. 9,800 kWh Own consumption: 80% = 4,000 kWh Feed-in: 5,800 kWh Remaining purchase: 1,000 kWh Electricity costs for the remainder: 300 euros Feed-in remuneration: 459 eurosResult : 159 euros profit / year = 1,659 euros electricity cost savings
The solar storage entails additional investment costs. A storage system with a capacity of 10 kWh costs around 7,000 to 8,000 euros on average. With investment costs of 19,000 euros, the system has thus amortized after around 11.5 years.
How much electricity does photovoltaics generate per day?
The amount of electricity that can be produced daily by a solar system depends on a number of factors. Not only the overall performance of the system must be taken into account, but also the inclination of the modules. The overall performance depends on the actually available roof area. Around 7 to 11 square meters are required to install 1 kWp of power. ´With a favorable southern orientation and an inclination angle of the modules between 10 and 30 degrees, an annual yield of between 800 and 1,000 kWh per kWp can be expected in this country. Using the example of a 5 kWp system at a suitable location in central Germany, 4,550 kilowatt hours of electricity can be generated per year. The bottom line is that an average of 12.5 kilowatt hours per day is possible.
What do you get per kWh fed in?
Previously an important criterion for PV systems, today it is of secondary importance. In view of the sharp rise in electricity prices, almost all experts and specialists today recommend that you use the majority of the energy you generate yourself. This is now much more economical than using the feed-in tariffs, which have fallen sharply in recent years. The feed-in tariff is heavily dependent on the time of commissioning. Older plants in particular usually receive a much higher remuneration than plants that are now going into operation. In March 2021, the feed-in tariff for roof-top PV systems up to 10 kWp was 7.92 eurocents/kWh, for roof-top systems up to 40 kWp 7.70 eurocents/kWh.
For whom is a PV system suitable?
In principle, photovoltaic systems are suitable for all owners of single or multi-family houses and companies with their own real estate. The size of the system and thus the yield is largely dependent on the available roof area. Four to six solar modules with a surface area of 7 to 13 square meters are required for each kilowatt peak (kWp) nominal output, depending on the module output and roof orientation.
PV systems add weight to the roof. Therefore, a structural engineer should inspect the roof prior to installation. The additional load from the system is primarily dependent on the respective type of installation. The following values serve as a guide:
Pitched roof: 16 to 24 kg / m² flat roof: 7 to 12 kg / m² without roof penetration 18 to 30 kg / m² with roof penetration
Other special requirements usually do not exist. For example, private rooftop solar systems fall under the category of "structural systems" and therefore usually do not require official approval as long as they are not subject to monument protection. However, in order to maximize the yield of the solar system, you should consider a few tips:
South-facing roofs are considered optimal, but west or east-facing and the corresponding intermediate levels are also considered profitable today. With particularly powerful high-performance solar modules, installation on a north-facing roof can sometimes be worthwhile.
An angle of inclination of the solar modules of 35 to 45 degrees has proven to be particularly productive in Germany. In this way, the largest possible part of the solar energy can be used over the entire course of the year. Avoid shading the solar modules, for example from chimneys, trees or nearby houses, as this can lead to yield losses. However, if shading cannot be avoided, special module optimizers can be purchased.
How big should a solar system be?
When planning a solar system, the first thing that is interesting is what output it should provide. The maximum possible electricity yield depends primarily on the location and the corresponding solar radiation as well as the available roof area and the orientation / inclination of the roof.
In Germany, a solar system generally generates between 800 and 1,100 kWh of solar power per kilowatt peak (1,000 Wp) of installed nominal power per year, depending on the global radiation values. With an annual power consumption of 5,000 kilowatt hours, the installation of a system with at least 6 kWp power makes sense. However, the dimensioning of the system should not only be based on the average power consumption, but also on the desired share of self-consumption or self-sufficiency of the prospective customer. The higher this should be, the larger the solar system should be dimensioned. However, the following applies here: Although 100 percent self-consumption is feasible, it does not yet make economic sense. Instead, a self-consumption share of 60 to 80 percent should be targeted when planning the system.
Tip: The larger the system, the higher the savings are usually. However, in order to avoid paying the EEG levy on self-consumed electricity, the system should not exceed a nominal output of 10 kWp when first installed.
What funding options are there?
In order to further promote the expansion of renewable energies in Germany, the federal and state governments offer a number of funding programs. These are intended to support the plant operator in financing the project and are granted in the form of a low-interest loan or a non-repayable grant.
KfW funding: The Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau offers the loan 270 with the name Renewable Energy Standard for the promotion of photovoltaic systems. With a term of 5 to 20 years and an effective annual interest from 1.03 percent, up to 100 percent of the investment costs can be financed. To do this, the applicant must first find a financing partner, i.e. a bank, savings bank or insurance company, who will apply for the loan from KfW for the plant operator.
The KfW then decides on the funding, but the loan agreement itself is concluded between the plant operator and the financing partner. It should be noted that some banks require the PV system to be entered in the land register for financing. However, this can be complicated and expensive, especially for existing properties. System operators should therefore choose a financing partner who does not require such an entry in the land register.
Funding from the federal states: In addition to the KfW funding, many federal states also offer funding programs for PV systems. In addition, electricity storage or e-charging stations are often also subsidized in connection with a newly built system. In most cases, these are non-repayable grants that can cover a variable percentage of the investment costs.
The subsidy programs are generally aimed at operators whose system does not exceed the 10 kWp or 30 KWp limit. However, the exact requirements and funding conditions can be found in the individual programs. Important: In some cases, funding from other bodies - for example the KfW - may not be combined with the corresponding funding program of the federal state. Interested parties should take this into account when submitting an application.
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